The oldest surviving timber-frame house in America is located in Dedham, Massachusetts and it is also rumored to be the most haunted house in the country. The historical wood frame home was built by Jonathan Fairbainks between 1637 and 1641, and it never lacks in paranormal activity. Ghost children’s laughter is one of the most puzzling aspects of the haunted home, but it comes as no surprise to paranormal investigators when you consider the generations of happy family members that have resided in the Fairbank’s home over the last 300 years. A deep rich history and family traditions honoring past immigrant ancestors has kept the Fairbanks family bound tight for centuries; quite possibly the reason behind why past members of the close-knit family refuse to leave the premises.
The Puritans with their deep religious convictions were the earliest settlers who built the colonial village of Dedham in 1635 which included a church, a canal and the first tax supported public school in America. Jonathan didn’t agree with public profession, but later after declaring his faith in God, signing the covenant and becoming a member of the First Church of Dedham, colonist Jonathan Fairbanks built his four room home at 511 East Street after he was allotted 12-acres of land where he and his wife Grace along with their six children would live happily for many years, gradually adding on to the house to accommodate their large family. After the deaths of Grace and Jonathan the house was passed down to succeeding generations that continued to add on to the family home, turning it into the massive structure that it is today. The last known family member moved out of the Fairbanks home sometime in 1904 and upon her leaving, descendants of the Fairbanks family formed an organization with plans to open the house up as a museum for everyone to enjoy.
Along with the opening of the museum came the possibility of ghosts living among the relics and heirlooms after reports of paranormal activity occurring in the museum almost daily flooded the airways via workers and visitors of the museum who could not keep the news of witnessing the supernatural to themselves. It is no secret that Jonathan and Grace Fairbanks were superstitious as was most of the world during the 17th century. Obvious carved markings found on the original chimney in the home are detailed with intersecting lines believed to be hex signs designed to keep the witches away. Shoes for trapping evil spirits have been found throughout the house from the ceilings to hidden spots on the chimneys, and mmuseum director Justin Schlesinger is the first to admit that strange things happen all the time without explanation in the home from the alarm system going haywire to flashlights acting up and a doorbell that seems to have a mind of its own by activating itself at all hours without the aid of human assistance.
Frightening incidences with disembodied footsteps have forced ghost hunters to take a closer look at their underlying cause to which it was determined that a few deaths took place in the Fairbanks home, including the murder of Elizabeth Fales in 1801. The beautiful young woman was the girlfriend of Jason Fairbanks who took it upon himself to end her life after she declined to marry him. Ongoing reports of spirits roaming throughout the house and wreaking havoc on the electronics while ghost children happily played and laughed in the upstairs as if they were engaged in the most thrilling activity of their life caught the attention of the Atlantic Paranormal Society. The paranormal investigators from TAPS hunkered down for a night of suspense while touring the museum in the darkest hour in April of 2011. To their surprise the group collected audio recordings that included laughing, knocking sounds and other movement. The museum director prepared for the worst during the middle of the night after his cell phone went off and began playing creepy organ music.
TAPS concluded that the incident was nothing more then the spirits dabbling with electronics, something they are famously known to do. The director easily accepted their explanation due to the thousands of visitors to the museum who complain about dead batteries in their cameras. The Fairbanks family has maintained a longstanding tradition by holding family reunions where everyone dresses up in Puritan clothing in honor of their English ancestors. This tradition quite possibly gives the spirits reason to celebrate as well and TAPS claims that the spirits living at the museum are more than likely happy ghosts who are just hanging around with their lineal descendants.
Location: Fairbanks House, 511 East Street, Dedham, Massachusetts 02026 Phone: 781-326-1170 Web Site: www.fairbankshouse.org
Hours of Operation: The museum conducts tours from May 1 through October 31, Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. with the last tour of the day beginning at 4:00 p.m.
2011 marked the 109th Fairbanks family reunion complete with an informative lecture from Brigham Young University professor Dr. Jenny Pulsipher, period clothing, demonstrations on weaving and spinning and family awards honoring various members of the Fairbanks family. The Massachusetts family is also known for a few famous descendants that include Presidents William H. Taft, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and poet Emily Dickinson.
Sources:
http://dedhamtales.wordpress.com/2011/10/02/haunted-dedham-part-one-the-fairbanks-house-is-it-still-occupied/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1376699/Fairbanks-House-Massachusetts-Is-America-s-oldest-house-haunted.html
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid;=65298844
http://www.geni.com/people/Jonathan-Fairbanks/4961149898350028462
